Technological Confusion
by PlainOldJane
Summary: Steve doesn't understand modern technology and Tony tries to teach him. One shot set after The Avengers.


**A/N:** Hey guys, I know it's been forever. Sorry I haven't updated Iridescent since July, things just got busy, but I'm hoping to pick up where I left off. I wrote this piece to get back into the rhythm of writing. I hope you enjoy!

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Radios were a thing of the past. This was something that Steve had learned quite quickly as Tony attempted (slightly in vain) to catch him up with modern technology and to teach him about the new wonders of the world. Whatever happened to turning on the radio to listen to the game? Saving up to go out to the movies to see the latest flick?

These things were dead.

Steve was slowly beginning to come to the conclusion that the wonders of yesteryear had died long ago and many new revelations about human entertainment had cropped up during his icy slumber. Now it one wanted to know who was winning the baseball game all they had to do was log onto a computer and read the scores on a 'website'. If you wanted to watch a movie you could do so on another one of these 'websites' and stay at home for free (though he wasn't sure about the legality of this method, it seemed to be the popular method amongst people of the day). Anything that he would have had to leave the house for before was easily accessed via the tiny computers that came in more shapes and sizes than he could comprehend. It seemed that the world had taken leaps and bounds ahead of him and all he could muster was a slow trot to try to keep up.

When Tony had first handed Steve what he had called a 'laptop' Steve couldn't begin to comprehend what was in his hands, let alone open it. He had held it gingerly, it was very thin and seemed like one flick of a wrist would be all it took to break it. After Tony rolled his eyes, exaggerated a sigh and muttered something along the lines of 'There goes my afternoon' he sat in the chair next to Steve and patiently taught him the basics of the machine.

"You have to start by opening it like this," Tony said as he slowly opened the laptop, illuminating the screen in the process before placing the machine into the super soldiers lap.

Steve flinched and subconsciously leaned away from the machine that Tony dropped into his lap when the screen glowed a bright blue before mellowing out into a screen with the 'Stark Industries' logo on it. At least there was something he had seen before on this device. He relaxed slightly, but the fact that such a small device could illuminate so brightly was quite unnerving to him.

"Alright, now you're going to have to use the keyboard, the part below the screen with the lettered buttons on it, and the mouse to type your name in that box below the logo. Yes, the track pad is the part that you use to move the mouse." When Steve shot Tony a look of confusion and slight horror, Tony quickly replied, "It's just a name for the arrow on the screen. No animals were hurt in the process of making this laptop."

Steve sighed in relief when Tony informed him that the mouse was just jargon for the miniscule arrow on the screen. He hadn't been worried about animal abuse, but the term had thrown him off and simply made the ordeal even more confusing.

"Alright so I just use my finger here, and the mouse should…" he muttered as he used his finger on the track pad, "MOVE! My god, that is amazing. How is it moving at the same time that I am?" Steve questioned in amazement as he fiddled with his finger on the track pad, watching as the mouse moved on the screen as well.

Tony snapped his fingers to grab Steve's attention, "OK, let's get back on track. Now move the arrow to the box and tap once. There you go. Now type your name with the keys."

Steve looked down and furrowed his brow at the keys. It should have been easy enough but many of the keys had multiple symbols on them and many of them were just gibberish to him. He didn't want to disappoint Tony this time with his fascination with the technology, so he just focused on using the letter keys. Using only one index finger, he was using his other hand to cradle the laptop to prevent it from falling, he slowly pecked out his first name into the field. He looked up to Tony for further instructions.

"Good. It took you forever, but you got it right on your first try. Now put your last name, just type it right away with no spaces." Tony said as he watched Steve begin to type again.

Steve could do this, it wasn't too bad. Heck, he was doing just fine. He finished off his last name with two index fingers this time, adding to his repertoire of skills with every click of the keyboard.

"Now hit the enter button," when Steve motioned to the button clearly labelled enter, Tony rolled his eyes and confirmed that yes, he meant the one that had 'enter' on it.

Steve got excited and gave the key a good tap to complete the task, but the laptop went careening off his lap. Between releasing his cradling hand to type with two hands and a slightly forceful poke to the key, he had sent the laptop screaming towards the ground where it landed and put a large crack in the screen. Steve grabbed it and wiped at it with his sleeve, trying to reverse the damage he had done.

"Tony, I'm so sorry, this must have cost a fortune. I will repay you for it right away," Steve's voice rose with panic as he looked up to his mentor with sorrow filled eyes.

"Don't worry about it, it barely cost anything and it was an outdated model anyways. Let me grab you a new one and you can start again." Tony smirked as he moved to go retrieve another laptop from the well-stocked cupboard.

Steve accepted it with a nod and a renewed vigor. He had to get it right this time without breaking another one.

When the super soldier turned his head to the new computer to retry logging in, Tony cracked a small, but genuine, smile. He was proud of Steve for taking an interest in technology and for not shying away from the foreign device again, though he would never tell Steve that.

The rest of the afternoon was a flurry of sighs and eye rolls from Tony and more than a few muted cusses from Steve as the teammates worked to conquer the super soldier's only weakness: technological confusion.

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**Please let me know what you thought!**


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